Over the last 25 years, the survival statistics for cancer patients have improved. Changes in lifestyle (e.g. smoking), earlier detection and better therapies have all contributed. Here, we look at which cancers have the best, worst and most improved survival rates.
To reduce the required frequency of drug administration, technologies have been developed to offer prolonged therapeutic effects, minimizing systemic side effects. These technologies are particularly useful for chronic conditions, localized diseases, and situations where continuous protein delivery is beneficial. Technologies that have been developed for sustained, localized release include:
There has been an increasing move towards the use of 3D cell culture as a means of functional differentiation in recent years. Although 2D cell cultures have been useful in a lot of ways, research has shown that they can differ significantly from in vivo conditions making it difficult to replicate the findings in a clinical setting. This, along with the failure rate and relatively high cost of drug development, has meant there is now an urgent need to find more predictive research models across all fields.
Understanding the way a drug interacts with our body, and the risks that this poses, is a critical part of drug development. In this article, we describe the basic aspects of ADME Tox, with specific examples.
Cell Guidance Systems today launches our primary liver-derived microsome products. These new products join our growing range of primary cell products launched last year.
The delivery of protein drugs to metastatic tumors is fraught with obstacles that limit their efficacy. This article explores the barriers to the delivery of protein drugs to metastatic cancer and discusses strategies to overcome these challenges.
Scaffolds have an important role to play in tissue engineering, as they are a substrate that can be used to mimic the native extracellular matrix (ECM). The properties of scaffolds have also been shown to affect cell behaviour such as cell attachment, differentiation and proliferation.
These versatile cells, known for their multiple roles in engulfing and digesting cellular debris, pathogens, and attacking cancer cells as well as rebuilding damaged tissue, are at the center of a new wave of treatments. Companies around the world are exploiting the unique properties of macrophages to develop groundbreaking therapies for a wide range of diseases.
One of the most significant hurdles in combating metastatic cancer is the delivery of protein drugs to the affected sites. The cancer cells fortify themselves behind endothelial barriers and extracellular matrix, making it difficult for therapeutic agents to reach and destroy them. Employing phagocytic immune cells as Trojan horses to overcome these barriers has immense potential.
2D Primary human hepatocyte cultures can suffer from rapid dedifferentiation and loss of liver-specific functions. The advent of three-dimensional (3D) cell culture technologies, such as hepatocyte spheroids offered by Cell Guidance Systems has revolutionized the field.
